herodias-第4章

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aromatic　wine　was　offered　to　him。　He　drank　it；　and　asked　for　a　second

draught。



The　tetrarch　had　fallen　upon　his　knees　before　the　proconsul；　saying

that　he　was　grieved　beyond　words　not　to　have　known　sooner　of　the

favour　of　his　presence　within　those　domains；　had　he　been　aware　of　the

approach　of　his　distinguished　guest；　he　would　have　issued　a　command

that　every　person　along　the　route　should　place　himself　at　the

proconsul's　orders。　Of　a　surety；　the　proconsul's　family　was　descended

direct　from　the　goddess　Vitellia。　A　highway；　leading　from　the

Janiculum　to　the　sea；　still　bore　their　name。　Questors　and　consuls　were

innumerable　in　that　great　family；　and　as　for　the　noble　Lucius；　now　his

honoured　guest；　it　was　the　duty　of　the　whole　people　to　thank　him；　as

the　conqueror　of　the　Cliti　and　the　father　of　the　young　Aulus；　now

returning　to　his　own　domain；　since　the　East　was　the　country　of　the

gods。　These　hyperboles　were　expressed　in　Latin；　and　Vitellius　accepted

them　impassively。



He　replied　that　the　great　Herod　was　the　honour　and　glory　of　the

nation；　that　the　Athenians　had　chosen　him　to　direct　the　Olympian

games；　that　he　had　built　temples　in　the　honour　of　Augustus；　had　been

patient；　ingenious；　terrible；　and　was　faithful　to　all　the　Caesars。



Between　the　two　marble　columns；　with　bronze　capitals；　Herodias　could

now　be　seen　advancing　with　the　air　of　an　empress；　in　the　midst　of　a

group　of　women　and　eunuchs　carrying　perfumed　torches　set　in　sockets　of

silver…gilt。



The　proconsul　advanced　three　steps　to　meet　her。　She　saluted　him　with

an　inclination　of　her　head。



〃How　fortunate；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃that　henceforth　Agrippa；　the　enemy　of

Tiberius；　can　work　harm　no　longer！〃



Vitellius　did　not　understand　her　allusion；　but　he　thought　her　a

dangerous　woman。　Antipas　immediately　declared　that　he　was　ready　to　do

anything　for　the　emperor。



〃Even　to　the　injury　of　others？〃　Vitellius　asked；　significantly。



He　had　taken　hostages　from　the　king　of　the　Parthians；　but　the　emperor

had　given　no　further　thought　to　the　matter；　because　Antipas；　who　had

been　present　at　the　conference；　had；　in　order　to　gain　favour；　sent　off

despatches　bearing　the　news。　From　that　time　he　had　borne　a　profound

hatred　towards　the　emperor　and　had　delayed　in　sending　assistance　to

him。



The　tetrarch　stammered　in　attempting　to　reply　to　the　query　of　the

proconsul。　But　Aulus　laughed　and　said：　〃Do　not　be　disturbed。　I　will

protect　thee！〃



The　proconsul　feigned　not　to　hear　this　remark。　The　fortune　of　the

father　depended；　in　a　way；　on　the　corrupt　influence　of　the　son；　and

through　him　it　was　possible　that　Antipas　might　be　able　to　procure　for

the　proconsul　very　substantial　benefits；　although　the　glances　that　he

cast　about　him　were　defiant；　and　even　venomous。



But　now　a　new　tumult　arose　just　within　the　gates。　A　file　of　white

mules　entered　the　courtyard；　mounted　by　men　in　priestly　garb。　These

were　the　Sadducees　and　the　Pharisees；　who　were　drawn　to　Machaerus　by

the　same　ambition：　the　one　party　hoping　to　be　appointed　public

sacrificers；　the　other　determined　to　retain　those　offices。　Their　faces

were　dark；　particularly　those　of　the　Pharisees；　who　were　enemies　of

Rome　and　of　the　tetrarch。　The　flowing　skirts　of　their　tunics

embarrassed　their　movements　as　they　attempted　to　pass　through　the

throng；　and　their　tiaras　sat　unsteadily　upon　their　brows；　around　which

were　bound　small　bands　of　parchment；　showing　lines　of　writing。



Almost　at　the　same　moment；　the　soldiers　of　the　advance　guard　arrived。

Cloth　coverings　had　been　drawn　over　their　glittering　shields　to

protect　them　from　the　dust。　Behind　them　came　Marcellus；　the

proconsul's　lieutenant；　followed　by　the　publicans；　carrying　their

tablets　of　wood　under　their　arms。



Antipas　named　to　Vitellius　the　principle　personages　surrounding　them：

Tolmai；　Kanthera；　Schon；　Ammonius　of　Alexandria；　who　brought　asphalt

for　Antipas；　Naaman；　captain　of　his　troops　of　skirmishers；　and　Jacim；

the　Babylonian。



Vitellius　had　noticed　Mannaeus。



〃Who　is　that　man？〃　he　inquired。



The　tetrarch　by　a　significant　gesture　indicated　that　Mannaeus　was　the

executioner。　He　then　presented　the　Sadducees　to　the　proconsul's

notice。



Jonathas；　a　man　of　low　stature；　who　spoke　Greek；　advanced　with　a　firm

step　and　begged　that　the　great　lord　would　honour　Jerusalem　with　a

visit。　Vitellius　replied　that　he　should　probably　go　to　Jerusalem　soon。



Eleazar；　who　had　a　crooked　nose　and　a　long　beard；　put　forth　a　claim；

in　behalf　of　the　Pharisees；　for　the　mantle　of　the　high　priest；　held　in

the　tower　of　Antonia　by　the　civil　authorities。



Then　the　Galileans　came　forward　and　denounced　Pontius　Pilate。　On　one

occasion；　they　said；　a　mad…man　went　seeking　in　a　cave　near　Samaria　for

the　golden　vases　that　had　belonged　to　King　David；　and　Pontius　Pilate

had　caused　several　inhabitants　of　that　region　to　be　executed。　In　their

excitement　all　the　Galileans　spoke　at　once；　Mannaeus's　voice　being

heard　above　all　others。　Vitellius　promised　that　the　guilty　ones　should

be　punished。



Fresh　vociferations　now　broke　out　in　front　of　the　great　gates；　where

the　soldiers　had　hung　their　shields。　Their　coverings　having　now　been

removed；　on　each　shield　a　carving　of　the　head　of　Caesar　could　be　seen

on　the　umbo；　or　central　knob。　To　the　Jews；　this　seemed　an　evidence　of

nothing　short　of　idolatry。　Antipas　harangued　them；　while　Vitellius；

who　occupied　a　raised　seat　within　the　shadow　of　the　colonnade；　was

astonished　at　their　fury。　Tiberius　had　done　well；　he　thought；　to　exile

four　hundred　of　these　people　to　Sardinia。　Presently　the　Jews　became　so

violent　that　he　ordered　the　shields　to　be　removed。



Then　the　multitude　surrounded　the　proconsul；　imploring　him　to　abolish

certain　unjust　laws；　asking　for　privileges；　or　begging　for　alms。　They

rent　their　clothing　and　jostled　one　another；　and　at　last；　in　order　to

drive　them　back；　several　slaves；　armed　with　long　staves；　charged　upon

them；　striking　right　and　left。　Those　nearest　the　gates　made　their

escape　and　descended　to　the　road；　others　rushed　in　to　take　their

place；　so　that　two　streams　of　human　beings　flowed　in　and　out；

compressed　within　the　limits　of　the　gateway。



Vitellius　demanded　the　reason　for　the　assembling　of　so　great　a　throng。

Antipas　explained　that　they　had　been　invited　to　come　to　a　feast　in

celebration　of　his　birthday；　and　he　pointed　to　several　men　who；

leaning　against　the　battlements；　were　hauling　up　immense　basket…loads

of　food；　fruits；　vegetables；　antelopes；　and　storks；　large　fish；　of　a

brilliant　shade　of　blue；　grapes；　melons；　and　pyramids　of　pomegranates。

At　this　sight；　Aulus　left　the　courtyard　and　hastened　to　the　kitchens；

led　by　his　taste　for　gormandizing；　which　later　became　the　amazement　of

the　world。



As　they　passed　the　opening　to　a　small　cellar；　Vitellius　perceived　some

objects　resembling　breast…plates　hanging　on　a　wall。　He　looked　at　them

with　interest；　and　then　demanded　that　the　subterranean　chambers　of　the

fortress　be　thrown　open　for　his　inspection。　These　chambers　were　cut

into　the　rocky　foundation　of　the　castle；　and　had　been　formed　into

vaults；　with　pillars　set　at　regular　distances。　The　first　vault　opened

contained　old　armour；　the　second　was　full　of　pikes；　with　long　points

emerging　from　tufts　of　feathers。　The　walls　of　the　third　chamber　were

hung　with　a　kind　of　tapestry　made　of　slender　reeds；　laid　in

perpendicular　rows。　Those　of　the　fourth　were　covered　with　scimitars。

In　the　middle　of　the　fifth　cell；　rows　of　helmets　were　seen；　the　crests

of　which　looked　like　a　battalion　of　fiery　serpents。　The　sixth　cell

contained　nothing　but　empty　quivers；　the　seventh；　greaves　for

protecting　the　legs　in　battle；　the　eighth　vault　was　filled　with

bracelets　and　armlets；　and　an　examination　of　the　remaining　vaults

disclosed　forks；　grappling…irons；　ladders；　cords；　even　catapults；　and

bells　for　the　necks　of　camels；　and　as　they　descended　deeper　into　the

rocky　foundation；　it　became　evident　that　the　whole